The number of migrants residing on the Greek mainland dropped by 54%, and that on the islands by 14%, in the month of September 2022, compared to the same month the year before, the Migration & Asylum Ministry said on Tuesday.
However, the ministry added that arrivals rose by 80% compared to the first nine months of 2021.
In September 2022, applications for asylum rose by 32% related to August 2022, and decisions at first and secondary level rose by 7% compared to August 2022.
In terms of outstanding asylum applications at first and secondary level, there is an overall drop of 42% in September 2022 compared to the same month a year earlier.
During the first nine months of 2022, a total of 6,449 voluntary returns, expulsions, and resettlements were carried out, against 11,023 of arrivals for the same Jan.-Sept. 2022 period.
In September 2022, residing legally in Greece were a total of 756,886 migrants, of whom 29% were EU citizens and persons of Greek origin, 63% were third-country citizens with a long-term residence permit, and 8% had been granted international protection with active residence permits. The number of residence permits held by long-term investors totaled 10,697 in September 2022.
In addition, a total of 21,039 applications were filed online by Ukrainian refugees, with a total of 19,783 temporary protection permits issued so far.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
